Cutting flower suggestions

[inchworm]

I have a raised garden bed I've decided to dedicate to cutting flowers and herbs. Unfortunately, it is a rather shady. In the past, lettuce, spinach, and green beans have done well there, but tomatoes and peppers have under performed. What cutting flowers or herbs would you recommend?

Thanks,
Inchworm

 

[PunkinPeep]

 

[lesa]

I have had very good luck with snapdragons. They are quite lovely, make a great cut flower and seem to thrive everywhere- sun or shade. In fact, mine were still alive and blooming right up till snowfall. Can't ask for much more than that! I am sure you could get daisy's or black eyed susans to grow there, might take a season or two to take off. All my herbs are growing in full sun, so I can't give you any ideas there- but most herbs seem to grow like weeds, so I would try some of your favs and see what happens...Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[journey11]

For shady cut flowers, I am not sure...so I am too!

 

[obsessed]

Hydreagea? They are supposed to last well and be good in shade.

 

[Reinbeau]

For cutting flowers, I'd go with zinnias, cosmos, etc. They may get a bit leggy in the shade, though, so you'll have to provide a bit of support. Larkspur would do well, too. Much better to get some more light in there, somehow, limbing the trees or somesuch. I'm surprised beans did well, they're a full blazing sun crop!

 

[digitS']

I'm just going to pop in and say that I agree! However you haven't really told us very clearly how much shade, shade from trees or building, or when the shade occurs.

Also, I don't have experience with cosmos in shade. Cosmos and larkspur can suffer from mildew and I grow both in the full sun.

One bed in my cutting garden is shaded by very tall bushes beginning about mid afternoon until sunset. I grow the common 3 annual cutting flowers that I have in the cutting garden there each year - snapdragons, zinnias, and China asters. Shade tolerant biennial Canterbury bells grow with the perennials.

Of those 3, the snapdragons do the best. They all do get a little leggy there but have support.

Remember, this bed gets full sun thru most of the day. There may be a few other choices if your plants have less sun than that.

Herbs? Do chives count as herbs? They couldn't be in a more shady location in my yard. There's oregano over there too but I make almost no use of oregano. Mints are very shade tolerant but I'm sure that they are most flavorful in more sun.

Steve

 

[inchworm]

It is shaded by a tree through the morning until about 2:00 in the afternoon. It gets direct sun until the sun goes below the horizon on the early side (it goes behind a mountain) of evening.

I've trimmed the tree as much as I can, but it's too big for me to do anymore A mixed blessing, I guess...

 

[Lavender2]

inchworm ... were you thinking annuals, perennials or a mix? ... it would help me a bit to know what zone or state you are in ...

Also, were you planning on market cut flowers or just for personal cutting?

Oh too... is the shade from the tree a dense shade or do think it would be considered dappled shade, letting some sunlight through.

If your beans produced well, I would think many part sun flowers and herbs would perform well ...
I may have a similar situation that I have gardened in for years... I'll dig up some suggestions... .......

 

[digitS']

Just from my limited experience growing cut flowers in that much shade:

Salpiglossis has very pretty flowers and do reasonably well in the vase. It's an annual.

I suspect that most people grow the perennial, Bergenia for its foliage but, if you like pink . . . It shows up very early and lasts well in water.

Steve